Racing Post
- Founded
- 1986-01-01 in London, England, United Kingdom
- Headquarters
- London, England, United Kingdom
Racing Post is the leading daily publishing brand for horse racing, greyhound racing, and sports betting in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Founded on 15 April 1986 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and a prominent thoroughbred owner, it was created to provide independent, high-quality coverage of British horse racing. The paper quickly established itself as the premier source for racecards, results, expert tips, and betting analysis, and after the closure of its long-standing rival The Sporting Life in 1998, it became the undisputed market leader in racing journalism. Today, Racing Post spans a daily print edition, a comprehensive website (racingpost.com) offering both free and premium content, and highly rated mobile apps for iOS and Android. Its offerings include breaking news, race previews and reports, tipping columns, bloodstock coverage, greyhound racing, real-time odds comparison from multiple bookmakers, live race commentaries, and video replays. The brand is owned by Exponent Private Equity (since 2016) and operates within Spotlight Sports Group, with Tom Kerr as editor and group racing director. With approximately 300 employees and its headquarters in London, Racing Post remains the trusted voice for punters, trainers, owners, and industry professionals across the racing and betting world.
Detailed Review
History & Ownership
Racing Post was first published on 15 April 1986, founded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to provide independent, high-quality coverage of British horse racing. Its first editor was Graham Rock, later succeeded by Michael Harris (1988) and Alan Byrne (1993–2002). In 1998, Sheikh Mohammed sold the licence to Trinity Mirror (then Mirror Group Newspapers) for £1, with Trinity Mirror donating £10 million to racing charities. The licence changed hands again in 2007 when Irish investment group FL Partners paid £170 million. Since September 2016, the business has been owned by Exponent Private Equity, with Richard Segal appointed chairman. Throughout these ownership changes, Sheikh Mohammed retained the trademark.
Print & Digital Products
The Racing Post newspaper is published daily (except Christmas Day) in tabloid format, containing racing cards, form, results, news, columns, a greyhound section, and wider sports betting tips. The website, RacingPost.com, launched in 1997 and relaunched in 2008, offers free and premium (Racing Post+) content including racecards, results, tipping, bloodstock news, statistics, and race-day live features. It also hosts an odds-comparison tool aggregating prices from eleven bookmakers. The Racing Post mobile app, available on iOS and Android, provides cards, forms, expert tips, and live betting prices with real-time updates; the app has been downloaded over a million times. Additionally, the Racing Post Shop sells horse-racing and sports books, gifts, and memorabilia. The company also distributes real-time betting prices and live race commentaries via DiffusionData’s platform, supporting kiosks, websites, and mobile apps.
Acquisitions & Expansion
In 2018, Racing Post (via its parent company) acquired a majority stake in Apsley, a leading sports-betting website and app business, and Leeds-based ICS Media Group, a content provider and digital marketing agency. These moves strengthened its digital footprint and affiliate marketing capabilities.
Circulation & Audience
As of December 2008, the print edition had an average daily circulation of 60,629 copies. Digital reach is significantly larger, with the website serving hundreds of thousands of daily users and the mobile app being among the top sports apps in the UK.
Leadership
Racing Post’s editor is Tom Kerr (since December 2018), who also holds the title Group Racing Director. The brand operates under Spotlight Sports Group (SSG), whose CEO is Mark Renshaw and COO is Chris Duncan (appointed 2022). The chairman is Richard Segal. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum remains the founder.
Key Products
Racing Post newspaper
Daily print edition (tabloid) covering horse racing, greyhound racing, and sports betting news, tips, racecards, results, and columns.
RacingPost.com
Official website offering free and premium (Racing Post+) content: real-time racecards, results, odds comparison from eleven bookmakers, expert tips, video replays, news, and statistics.
Racing Post mobile app (iOS/Android)
Official mobile application providing racecards, forms, expert tips, and live betting prices with push notifications; downloaded over one million times.
Racing Post+
Premium subscription service for in-depth analysis, advanced form tools, and exclusive content.
Racing Post Shop
Online retail store for horse-racing literature, sports books, and branded merchandise.
Racing Post data feeds & APIs
Real-time data distribution of betting prices, results, and race information to kiosks, websites, and third-party platforms, powered by DiffusionData.
ICS Media Group (acquired 2018)
Content provider and digital marketing agency that supplies content and SEO services to the sports betting industry.
Apsley (majority stake acquired 2018)
Sports betting website and app platform offering odds comparison and betting services.
Offices & Headcount
300 employees (approx.)
